Categories: This Day

December 11, 1894 – The first auto show

[Collection Jules Beau. Photographie sportive] : T. 7. Année 1898 / Jules Beau : F. 14. [Exposition de l’Automobile Club de France, Tuileries, 15 juin 1898];

Four automakers gathered to display their vehicles in Paris, France on this day in 1894 for the Internationale de Velocipidie et de Locomotion Automobile, marking the world’s first auto show. The event would be renamed in 1898 to Salon de l’Automobile de Paris, which was organized by French automotive pioneer Albert de Dion. The event exist today as the Mondial de l’Automobile, often referred to as the Paris Motor Show.

Poster for 1895 Exposition de Locomotion Automobile Paris (second year). Top Cover image: The 1898 Salon de l’Automobile de Paris

The biennial event has since become one of the most important industry auto shows, often playing host to more than one million visitors checking out the latest lineups, new models and concept cars from automakers all over the world.

Automobiles arrived to the first auto shows on trailers pulled by horses.